OVER THE POLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 96, 24 April 1928, Page 7

OVER THE POLE.

VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY

Stirring Flight Into The Great

Unknown.

'PLANE BUCKED LIKE BRONCHO

(By Coble.—l'rcss Association.—Copyright.)

NEW YORK, April 23.

[Tli# following is a narrative of the flight across the Arctic written by Captain 6. H. Witting and telegraphed by him from Svaibard. It is copyrighted by the Australian and New Zealand Press Association and the New York Times.}

With good weather and good lack and by careful navigation we have travelled 2200 miles over the Arctic ice from Point Barrow, Alaska, to Green Harbour, Svaibard. Threequarters of the area over which we flew had never been seen before by man.

We are thankful tbat aeronautical enginerring, the skill of conscientious workmen, and our accumulated Arctic experience have brought us through in comparative comfort and safety. Yet the trip was not without adventure. It took us two days betove wc were iiualiy able to lift the machine, which weighed 33001b, into tlie air.

We started on Ajiril 15 and beaded straight out on tlie great circle course that would change -- tiuies in 22 hours. For tlic lir?t 500 miles the air was clear. Then wc entered clouds, but we overcame them at ail altitude of 3000 ft.

We saw no signs ol islands, but frequent leads of open water. We would have liked to make soundings, but the lauding was too hazardous owing to the possibility of broken skis. The engine functioned perfectly: The sun gave a clear light, and we even took frequent observations with our sextant. Our compass acted in an ordinary manner, namely, within five degrees.

The real flight of exploration was then over, but we still had 900 miles to fly to reach our goal. We headed straight for Svalbard by the sun's position and compass. The stormy sky forbade a cross-flight in that ice-covered country. We edged along the storm area ami three hours later the northerly end of Greenland showed up dimly.

We were 300 miles from the North Pole and the temperature in the cabin dropped to zero. Coffee from a thermos flask and chocolate and biscuits were acceptable. Within —0/ miles of Svalbard high curling masses of clouds rose to height* which our now lightly-loaded plane could not reach. We climbed to 8000 ft and selected lanes between the feathery masses. Observations for ground speed and drift were now no longer possible. We had to trust to the observed sun's position and the comj pass.

Thus we flew for an hour and a-half, seeing merely a dark streak of almost ice-free water beneath us. We expected to see the mouutains at the north end of Svalbard, but did not dare descend for fear of running into the cloudcovered peaks. The engine had burned much gas and we knew we had only two, perhaps three, more hour#' supply.

The air was turbulent and oar now almost empty plane was tossed about like a cork. Loose things in the cabin tumbled and rattled. The plane bucked like a broncho, bat Eielson no* ed her down. The icestrewn water and the wind were furious. Spray whipped from the sea and filled the air. Over the land the drifted high and thick. It was therefore

impossible to judge distance.

We slept. When we awoke again the sun was shining and we saw houses. But it was merely an Arctic mirage. The wind, by driftiug the snow, soon obstructed the horizon. Four-foot drift* formed r.bout the plane aud rortunately kept it from toppling over. We made ourselves comfortable in the cabin.

Then, dead abeatl a mountain loomed. It was avoided by a narrow margin We were running short of petrol fast] but sueb was Eielson's consummate skill that the machine was stopped 30yds after the slciis touched the snow. \\ e climbed out. The machine was not damaged. There was nothing to do but to beat our clothes free of snow and climb into the cabin of the machine and await clear weather. We were not unduly tired nor anxious. Kings Bay and Green Harbour could not be far away and we might walk or construct a boat and so reach some habitation.

We had only 20 gallons of petrol with us in the machine, but she would not budge. However, when I climbed out and pushed lier she moved. But it was difficult to climb in again and I fell off in the attempt.

Eielson threw out an emergency ropeladder. The machine gained momentum and I struggled desperately to gain the cockpit. My hands were stiffened and " u ™ b - J, grasped the ropes with mv teeth. Then I slithered off the shiny fuselage and was struck by the tail of the machine and flung upon the snow As I sit now and write I feel that every one of my front teeth is loose.

We had been marooned for five days on Dead Man's Island. The wireless otticiala at Green Harbour treated us with bountiful hospitality. Our "VorHefo a L f n n S BX6 ° Ur fricnds for «ver. Here we shall stay until some boat can take us and our trusty Lockhead plane to a more southern clime.